Total Complaints
64 filings
LEXUS GX470 · model year
64 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003LEXUSGX470 carries 64 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 GX470 is unknown or other with 5 filings, followed by power train:driveline:driveshaft (5) and power train (4). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2003 GX470. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
64 filings
Crashes Reported
5 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 5 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | 5 |
| POWER TRAIN | 4 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 3 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| SUSPENSION | 3 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 3 |
| STRUCTURE | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 2 |
| STEERING | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 567, "CERTIFICATION." THE INCORRECT GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR) DATA WAS PRINTED ON THE CERTIFICATION REGULATION LABEL. THE GVWR IS INCORRECTLY REFLECTED ON THE LABEL AS 6,100 LBS. THE CORRECT GVWR SHOULD BE 6,000
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE LEXUS LINK SYSTEM, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO LOCK ONE OF THE TWO LATCHES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MIDDLE ROW LEFT REAR SEAT (LARGER SIDE OF THE BENCH SEAT DIRECTLY BEHIND THE DRIVER). DUE TO THE THICKNESS OF THE LEXUS LINK SYSTEM STORAGE CASE, THE STOPPER ON THE BOTTO
VEHICLE WAS IN LOW RANGE GOING IN REVERSE WITH A TRAILER VERY SLOW WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE IT ENGAGED FASTER AND WOULDN'T STOP ACCELERATING FOR 15 FEET OF THIS AND IT STOPPED MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS SO THERE WAS NO REASON WHY IT SHOULD HAVE ENGAGED IN THE MANNER THAT IT DID IN FACT I HAD BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE TRYING TO STOP IT IT FELT LIKE I HIT SOMETHING WHEN IT STOPPED BUT I DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. THIS ALL OCCURRED WHILE I WAS BACKING A BOAT INTO MY DRIVEWAY WHICH IS LEVEL GROUND
Mileage: 168,667
WE TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER TO HAVE BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED. IT WAS REPORTED TO US BY THE SHOP THAT WHEN THEY RAISED THE TRUCK, IT MADE NOISES AND THEY FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO CONTINUE. THEY REPORTED TO US THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED OR ROTTED, ESPECIALLY NEAR THE RIGHT REAREND, AND THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, THAT THE WHERL OR THE BACK END COULD COLLAPSE. LAST NIGHT, I DID EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ONLINE AND IT APPEARS THIS IS A LONG-STANDING ISSUE WITH TOYOTA FRAMES ON THEIR TRUCKS, WITH MANUFACTURING DEFECTS IN STEEL PRODUCTION AND SUBSEQUENT CHEMICAL TREATMENT ERRORS BEFORE TRUCK ASSEMBLY. EVIDENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN MASSIVE RECALLS OF TACOMA TRUCKS WHICH HAVE THE SAME FRAMES MADE BY A COMPANY IN OHIO CALLED DANA. WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM TOYOTA TODAY WHO ASSIGNED US A CASE MANAGER YESTERDAY WHILE WE WERE AT THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP. MANY OF THESE TRUCKS NEEDED A FRAME SWAP. THE EXTENT OF THE FRAME RUST AND ROT IS UNBELIEVABLE FOR THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE
Mileage: 200,000
FRAME IS ROTTING FROM INSIDE OUT, EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON AN OTHERWISE SPOTLESS VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT WAS COMMON TO THE EARLY/MID 2000'S TOYOTA TUNDRA, TACOMA, AND 4RUNNER, THE LATTER OF WHICH SHARES FRAME COMPONENTS. TOYOTA, FOR WHATEVER REASON, COVERED THE TUNDRA AND TACOMA THROUGH RECALLS, BUT SO FAR HAS NOT DONE A RECALL ON THE 4RUNNER OR GX470.
Mileage: 110,000
FRAME IS ROTTING FROM INSIDE OUT, EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON AN OTHERWISE SPOTLESS VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT WAS COMMON TO THE EARLY/MID 2000'S TOYOTA TUNDRA, TACOMA, AND 4RUNNER, THE LATTER OF WHICH SHARES FRAME COMPONENTS. TOYOTA, FOR WHATEVER REASON, COVERED THE TUNDRA AND TACOMA THROUGH RECALLS, BUT SO FAR HAS NOT DONE A RECALL ON THE 4RUNNER OR GX470.
Mileage: 110,000
FRAME IS ROTTING FROM INSIDE OUT, EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON AN OTHERWISE SPOTLESS VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT WAS COMMON TO THE EARLY/MID 2000'S TOYOTA TUNDRA, TACOMA, AND 4RUNNER, THE LATTER OF WHICH SHARES FRAME COMPONENTS. TOYOTA, FOR WHATEVER REASON, COVERED THE TUNDRA AND TACOMA THROUGH RECALLS, BUT SO FAR HAS NOT DONE A RECALL ON THE 4RUNNER OR GX470.
Mileage: 110,000
REAR SUSPENSION ARM BROKE A WAY FROM A FRAME SECTION THAT APPEARS ROTTED. NO OTHER RUST ON VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH ROAD AND MADE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. SCARED TO THINK IF THIS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. AGAIN..THIS IS A CLEAN..NO RUST VEHICLE
Mileage: 150,000
REAR SUSPENSION ARM BROKE A WAY FROM A FRAME SECTION THAT APPEARS ROTTED. NO OTHER RUST ON VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH ROAD AND MADE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. SCARED TO THINK IF THIS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. AGAIN..THIS IS A CLEAN..NO RUST VEHICLE
Mileage: 150,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS GX470. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE DEALER (POHANKA HONDA OF FREDERICKSBURG, 60 S GATEWAY DR., FREDERICKSBURG, VA 22406, (540) 735-9100) WAS CALLED AND STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD BE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THE DEALER (POHANKA LEXUS CHANTILLY, 13909 LEE JACKSON MEMORIAL HWY, CHANTILLY, VA 20151, (703) 968-9100) WAS ALSO CONTACTED, BUT HAD NOT DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183,400.
Mileage: 183,400
FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN 35 MPH REAR END COLLISION WITH ANOTHER STATIONARY VEHICLE ON A BUSY INTERSTATE. THE OTHER CAR WAS TOTALED OUT. THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE AS WELL.
Mileage: 180,000
THE HEADLIGHT LENS COVERS SLOWLY BECAME FOGGED OVER TIME CAUSING GRADUALLY DECREASING LIGHT OUTPUT. THE MANUFACTURER WANTS TO CHARGE TO POLISH OUT THE FOGGED LENS BUT THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN IF THE MANUFACTURER DID DUE DILIGENCE IN ENGINEERING AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT MATERIALS SELECTION. THIS SAFETY FLAW SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SINCE THE MANUFACTURER IS PROVIDING MATERIALS INFERIOR TO PAST PROVEN STABLE MATERIALS (GLASS AND OTHER AVAILABLE PLASTICS THAT DON'T DEGRADE HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR WELL OVER 70 YEARS). SERVICE CENTERS DO NOT OFFER INSPECTIONS TO MEASURE WHEN THE LIGHT OUTPUT DROPS BELOW FEDERAL SAFETY SPECIFICATIONS AND GLASS LENSES OF THE PAST NEVER SUFFERED THIS PROBLEM. MATERIALS THAT DON'T DEGRADE HAVE BEEN IN USE FOR MANY YEARS AND MANUFACTURERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO ADOPT LOWER PERFORMING MATERIALS FOR SAFETY CRITICAL SYSTEM COMPONENTS. INCOMPETENT MATERIALS ENGINEERING SHOULD BE PUNISHED BY REQUIRING THE MANUFACTURER TO REPLACE THESE LENSES AT NO CHARGE REGARD
Mileage: 230,000
I HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER 3 YEARS TO GET THE CRACKED / MELTING DASHBOARD REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL I RECEIVED OVER 3 YEARS AGO. I SPOKE TO THE LOCAL LEXUS DEALER AND THEY SAID I WAS STILL # 49 IN LINE TO GET THIS DONE. REALLY ? AFTER 3 YEARS. HOW PATIENT DOES ONE NEED TO BE ? I BELIEVE A CIVIL SUIT IS IN ORDER HERE. WITH THE TIME AND TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR THIS AND IT'S STILL NOT HANDLED - SOMEONE WITH SOME AUTHORITY NEEDS TO PRESS THIS ISSUE WITH LEXUS.
Mileage: 40,000
IT IS POSSIBLE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL WHEN BRAKING, THIS CAUSES SUDDEN UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TOO TOYOTA AND REQUESTED UPGRADED ECU SOFTWARE THAT DISABLES THE GAS PEDAL WHILE BRAKING TOYOTA REFUSED TO PROVIDE A SIMPLE SOFTWARE FIX MY WIFE IS A WITNESS. *TR
Mileage: 191,000
IT IS POSSIBLE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL WHEN BRAKING, THIS CAUSES SUDDEN UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TOO TOYOTA AND REQUESTED UPGRADED ECU SOFTWARE THAT DISABLES THE GAS PEDAL WHILE BRAKING TOYOTA REFUSED TO PROVIDE A SIMPLE SOFTWARE FIX MY WIFE IS A WITNESS. *TR
Mileage: 191,000
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A GX470 LEXUS. THIS VEHICLE ALONG WITH OTHER VEHICLES IS GARAGE KEPT. I DON'T DRIVE SOME OF MY VEHICLES A LOT AS WITH MY GX470 BECAUSE OF THE GAS MILEAGE AND DIFFICULTY IN PARKING VERSES MY C-CLASS MERCEDES BENZ AND OTHER CARS. BUT IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR I NOTICED SEVERE CRACKING IN MY FRONT DASH WHILE TAKING A LONG TRIP. THE CRACKING IS SO SEVERE THAT IT GOES ACROSS THE FRONT DASH WHERE THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS ARE LOCATED. THE CRACKING HAS ALSO CAUSED THE SPEAKERS SOUND TO BE DISTORTED. I CONTACTED LEXUS, BUT AT THE TIME I DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF LEXUSES GX470S THAT HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT THOSE LEXUS OWNERS LIKE MYSELF THAT IS GOING TO FILE A LAWSUIT SHOULD GET TOGETHER. MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS: [XXX] I ALSO THINK THAT A WAY TO GET THE ADDITION OF LEXUS AND POTENTIAL LEXUS BUYERS THAT HAVE NO IDEA THAT THIS PROBLEM THAT KIA OWNERS DON'T HAVE TO FACE IS THE PLAN A PROTEST OF LEXUS DEALERSHIPS NATI
Mileage: 28,478
THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED AND MELTED.
Mileage: 57,000
HAIRLINE CRACKS IN DASHBOARD. GARAGE KEPT. *TR
Mileage: 51,000
WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY LEXUS GX470 (2003) WITH MY FAMILY ON A LOCAL STREET AT AROUND 35 MPH, MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED BY ITSELF. THE BRAKES ENGAGE BY ITSELF AND THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVATED WITH BEEPS. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC, HE CHECKED THE BRAKES, CALIPERS..ETC, HE SAID EVERYTHING IS FINE BUT HE COULDN?T FIND ANY REASON WHY IT HAPPENED, HE ASKED ME TO CONTACT LEXUS DEALER. I CALLED THE LEXUS DEALER SERVICE CENTER, I EXPLAINED THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, HE TOLD ME TO CHECK THE BRAKE CALIPERS, I TOLD HIM THE MECHANIC ALREADY CHECKED IT. ANYWAY, EVEN THE LEXUS DEALER COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHY IT HAPPENED. *TR
Mileage: 160,000
WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY LEXUS GX470 (2003) WITH MY FAMILY ON A LOCAL STREET AT AROUND 35 MPH, MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED BY ITSELF. THE BRAKES ENGAGE BY ITSELF AND THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVATED WITH BEEPS. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC, HE CHECKED THE BRAKES, CALIPERS..ETC, HE SAID EVERYTHING IS FINE BUT HE COULDN?T FIND ANY REASON WHY IT HAPPENED, HE ASKED ME TO CONTACT LEXUS DEALER. I CALLED THE LEXUS DEALER SERVICE CENTER, I EXPLAINED THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, HE TOLD ME TO CHECK THE BRAKE CALIPERS, I TOLD HIM THE MECHANIC ALREADY CHECKED IT. ANYWAY, EVEN THE LEXUS DEALER COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHY IT HAPPENED. *TR
Mileage: 160,000
SEVERAL CRACKS (SOME HAIRLINE AND OTHERS WIDER) HAVE APPEARED ALL OVER THE DASHBOARD, NEAR VENTS, ABOVE INSTRUMENT CONSOLE AND IN FRONT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COVER. INITIALLY, I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE BUT IN RESEARCHING THIS TOPIC ONLINE I REALIZED THIS IS PERVASIVE ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL AND IT'S OVERSEAS COUSIN PRADO. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT TOYOTA AND LEXUS MUST CORRECT. I BELIEVE THE CRACKS OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COVER POSE A SAFETY RISK WITH POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE WITH THE OPERATION OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. TO BE SURE THIS WASN'T AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE, I HAVE VISUALLY INSPECTED 5 OTHER GX 470S IN TAMPA AREA (RANDOMLY) OVER THE LAST MONTH AND EACH ONE OF THEM HAD THE SAME CRACKS ON THEIR DASHBOARDS. HERE ARE LINKS TO OWNER FORUM SITES I SURVEYED TO GET A SENSE OF THIS PROBLEM WORLDWIDE ... HTTP://US.LEXUSOWNERSCLUB.COM/FORUMS/TOPIC/54056-03-GX470-DASHBOARD-CRACKS/ HTTP://WWW.CLUBLEXUS.COM/FORUMS/GX-FIRST-GENERATION/4
Mileage: 81,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS GX470. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,805.
Mileage: 104,805
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.